James west



J. WEST.

FIRE ALARM.

Patented Mar. 6 1888.

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JAMES WEST, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, NATHANIEL G.PIERCE, AND GEORGE D. MARKHAM, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE=ALARNL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,990,dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed November 80, 1887. Serial No. 256,520. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES Wnsr, of the city of St. Louis, in the Stateof Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Alarm, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-alarms, and has for itsobject to provide an alarm adapted for use in large buildingssuch asfactories, schools, hotels, and public buildingswhereby an alarm may besounded from any room in said building, which will be immediately andautomatically communicated to all the other rooms.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will behereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part ofthis specification, in which the figure illustrates a vertical sectionthrough a building and the attachment of the device thereto.

attached to any suitable support in each room of abuildin g, the gongsin those rooms, located one above the other, being preferably placedsubstantially in vertical alignment; and the said gongs are alsopreferably constructed with the striking-arm a so pivoted as that theball carried thereby will strike the gong from the outside, asillustrated.

Ido not, however, confine myself to the construction of the gong, as anyapproved pattern may be employed.

From each of the lowest rooms in the build ing a rod, B, is extendedvertically upward through the floorsinto the highest rooms parallel withthe line of gongs and as near thereto as practical, the said rods beingheld to turn in bearings b, secured in the wall or other verticalsupport. The various rods Bare connected one with the other, as will behereinafter set forth, and are all counterbalanced by one or moreweights, 0, which weights arelocated in one of the lower rooms andprovided with a chain or rope, O, passing over a pulley, G the said ropeor chain being secured in any suitable manner to the most convenient rodB near the lower end.

In each room two or more collars, b, are fitted upon the rods B,preferably two, one of which is located above the gongs, being engagedupon the under surface by one end of a trip-rod, d, the other end ofwhich trip-rod is attached to the striking-arm of the gongs. Upon theupper edge of the second collar in each room a hand-lever, d, is made torest, said lever being hinged or pivoted to a convenient bracket orother support. Thus if one hand-lever is pressed down an alarm will besounded in each room through which the especial rod reciprocated therebypasses.

The various rods are purposed to be connected, so that when one rod isreciprocated the motion will be immediately communicated to the others;This is preferably effected in the lower story, although the connectionsmay be made at any point, the means usually employed being a horizontalrod, E, having its ends connected with the short member of bellcranks e,which cranks are respectively pivoted near the vertical rods to beunited, the long arm of said bell-cranks being made to en gage the underface of a third collar, 0', upon the various rods 13.

v The weights counterbalancing the rodsB are preferably made hollow,whereby when other connections are made to the rods originally supportedthe weights may be filled to balance the extra weight.

An alarm of this character may be utilized as a drill-signal, wherebythe occupants of the building may be given the alarm at any moment, andthus trained to act properly in the event of a fire, and be enabled toquickly locate the means of escape and preserve to an extent theirpresence of mind.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is--- 1. The combination, with a series ofalarmbells arranged upon the various floors of a building, and theirtripping-arms, of a reciprocating rod extending through the said floors,

provided with collars engaging the said tripping-arms, and hand-leversupon each floor engaging other collars upon said rod, substantially asherein set forth. 5 2. The combination, with a series of alarmbellsarranged upon the various floors of a building, and their attachedtripping-arms, of a reciprocating counterbalanced rod extending throughthe said floors, provided with collars engaging the said tripping-arms,and handlevers upon each floor engaging other collars upon said rod,substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with a series of alarm- 15 bells arranged uponvarious floors of a building, and their attached tripping arms,reciprocating counterbalanced rods extending through the said floors,provided with collars engaging said tripping-arms, and hand-levers uponeach floor engaging other collars upon 20 the rods, of bell-crankspivoted adjacentto the vertical reciprocating rods, engaging offsetsupon said rods, and a horizontal connectingbar uniting said bell-cranks,all adapted to operate substantially as herein set forth.

J AMES WEST.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. KELLEY, CHARLES A. KAHRE.

